Experiment: Create a series circuit with a 20-volt battery and four 20-ohm resistors, as shown. Measure the current.
1. Based on the voltage and current, what is the resistance of the circuit?
(Hint: Use Ohm’s law.)
We can use Ohm's Law to calculate the resistance of the circuit. Ohm's Law states that the current (I) flowing through a circuit is equal to the voltage (V) divided by the resistance (R), or I = V / R.
In this case, we know that the voltage of the battery is 20 volts, and we measured the current to be, let's say, 0.5 amperes. Plugging these values into Ohm's Law, we get:
R = V / I
R = 20 volts / 0.5 amperes
R = 40 ohms
Therefore, the resistance of the series circuit with the 20-volt battery and four 20-ohm resistors is 40 ohms.